BeL Online team: How to work in a blended way

BeL Online Team Helping the BeL team develop blended approaches to professional learning with their schools and in Enabling eLearning Contents How to work in a blended way in the BeL team ...............................................................2 What do we mean by ‘blended’? ...................................................................................2 What might blended professional learning look like? .......................................................3 We can work directly with your teachers & students ........................................................6 We can help you design an appropriate blend .................................................................7 We can help you build your own e-skills ..........................................................................8 We can help you use Enabling e-Learning on TKI and the VLN (and connected sites)...9 We can talk with you about best practice in online communities and blended professional learning ......................................................................................................10 How might we develop the way we facilitate online? .....................................................11

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How to work in a blended way in the BeL team The Blended e-Learning team explores the smart use of e-­‐Learning tools, resources and teaching/learning strategies using a blend of face-­‐to-­‐face and virtual approaches with the aim of improving student learning. This work is underpinned and guided by the five dimensions in the eLearning Planning Framework [Source: National Plan]

What do we mean by ‘blended’?

“Blended learning systems combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction” (Graham, p. 5, 2006).

Most importantly, the focus of blended e-learning is not the technologies, but the way the technologies are integrated - blended - into an effectively designed learner-focused experience.

Key characteristics of blended learning can be defined as offering ubiquitous opportunities and interaction ● across different spaces, from physical to virtual; ● with and across time constraints, from synchronous, real-time to asynchronous, timelagged learning; ● across a rich range of media, from rich multi-media to text-only modes;

The Professional Learning dimension, at Empowering, in the e-Learning Planning Framework:

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What might blended professional learning look like?

What is the most appropriate blend for the way we work with our schools?

Same place: Face-to-face / kanohi o te kanohi

Synchronous – at the same time

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meetings with staff hui group facilitation presentations modeling teaching in the classroom/ observation ● conference

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different sessions for different staff (coaching, mentoring)

video conferencing (webinar/Skype) ● live chat ● live video streaming ● instant messaging

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email online community space (e.g. cluster wiki, VLN group) shared documents (e.g.

Google docs, e-portfolios) podcast/recording web resources (Enabling e-Learning on TKI etc) forum discussion (VLN) professional networks (e.g.

Twitter)

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Different place: Using digital technologies

Asynchronous - not at the same time

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Paper-based

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Readings/documents

The Enabling e-Learning (EL) web presence has been developed as an online ‘hub’ for ICT-related education resources and communities, aligned to the dimensions of the e-Learning Planning Framework. The web presence includes: ● ●

quality-assured content within the TKI site, plus supporting online communities within the Virtual Learning Network (VLN) Groups (including a Twitter account and a Facebook page) ...to enable teachers and principals to share resources around e-learning capability, and to be part of facilitated discussions related to e-learning.

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7 reasons to choose a blended approach 1. CONNECTED PRACTICE: Sharing practice between educators de-siloes what we do to establish knowledge, skills and understandings that are consistent with and developed by our profession as a whole.  Examples: Staff-wide e-portfolios, discussion in the VLN and a face-to-face Pecha Kucha session - all on staff inquiries.

2. FLEXIBLE AND PERSONAL PATHWAYS: Ubiquitous technology can provide flexible ways to learn, to create and share our learning – written, visual, oral approaches, shared at times and places that suit us. Practical, personal and efficient.  Example: We track our iPad trial through video stories from the classroom, multimedia blog posts, and a community wide discussion that is online and in school.

3. ACCESS FOR ALL: A blended approach can be more accessible, offering multiple ways to access and engage with information  Example: I can’t hear/attend the staff meeting but I can share and add to the meeting notes in Google docs, or follow a school trip via the live blog.

4. CURATE AND COLLABORATE RESOURCES: Collecting, curating and sharing what we do in online spaces creates digital repositories that others can use, share, add to or return to later.  Example: The teachers and students developed an online digital citizenship module at different times in the year, using both face-to-face and online sessions.

5. RESPONSIVE FEEDBACK LOOPS: A blended approach can allow us to help, support and advise each other faster, supporting “just in time” needs.  Example: I post a question in the VLN – and get several responses in under 24 hours, as well as visible connections to new colleagues who can help.

6. CONTROL and AGENCY: Using social technology to support professional learning can allow anyone to create, contribute, and share their work.  Example: We all have equal status in our VLN group – anyone can post, raise a question or contact the facilitator.

7. EXTEND and SUSTAIN FACE-TO-FACE: In between meetings, and workshops, online spaces can allow the conversation to continue, be added to, and sustained. o Example: Our cluster follows up on and prepares for meetings using a discussion forum and our online inquiries that we blog each week.

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 How can the BeL Online National team help you to work in blended ways?

What do you need? ●

Someone to talk to my schools about blended learning / Enabling e-Learning/VLN

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A co-facilitator to explore blended professional learning / Enabling e-Learning

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Help with my own e-capability, like running webinars or using the VLN

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Guidance on how to use and be part of Enabling e-Learning/VLN

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Advice on online communities, blended professional learning and writing for the web

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We can work directly with your teachers & students

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Help your schools understand why they might work in a blended or online way

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Introduce them to the nature and purpose of online professional learning

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Show them how to use technologies - like the VLN - to help them with their PD

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Introduce them to Enabling e-Learning as a resource to support the e-Learning Planning Framework

What might this look like? ●

A facilitated cluster session face-to-face

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A Skype/video conference session

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A webinar e.g. Introduction to Enabling e-Learning, Introduction to the VLN

Webinars for self-starters Webinar: Introduction to Enabling e-Learning What does online professional learning look like for learners and leaders? with Tessa Gray (28 February, 2012). This session looked more closely at the Enabling e-Learning groups within the VLN and focused on how we might manage our own and others learning online ● How to use the VLN Groups / Enabling e-Learning: This webinar gave an overview of the seven top tools you need to master to make the most of the learning opportunities here in the VLN groups communities. ● ●

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We can help you design an appropriate blend

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Provide help with different ways to capture and share small stories - video, blogging, images

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Choose an appropriately ‘blend’ for schools’ needs - heavy, medium or light touch schools need different approaches

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Co-facilitate (face-to-face or remotely) with you as you introduce blended learning, the VLN, Enabling e-Learning or ways to manage professional learning online

What might this look like? ●

A conversation around inquiry as a starting point for planning.

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How to maximize online spaces like the VLN to extend learning beyond traditional workshops and face-to-face modes.

Sites for self-starters ●

Examine what pro-active clusters do in the VLN to make the most of the online space for professional conversations: Whakatu Cluster; Belmont School

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We can help you build your own e-skills ●

use (read, manage, post in) online communities to extend learning - e.g. how to use the VLN

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how to set up and facilitate a group on the VLN to extend face-to-face professional learning

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post questions in the communities to help you/your teachers get answers

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set up, design and facilitate webinars

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write / create for the web in ways that are accessible for all

What might this look like? ●

One-to-one session or in a small buddy team to build skills and look at examples

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Point you to useful resources, like the online learning page in TTT

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Help you plan and post, through peer review

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Co-facilitate the set-up, design and management of a webinar with you

Sites for self-starters 

Learning online (Te Toi Tupu community), includes: o How to set up a webinar in Elluminate o How to design and facilitate webinars o How to create accessible text online o Best practice in online facilitation

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Getting Started in the VLN has several tips to get started

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We can help you use Enabling e-Learning on TKI and the VLN (and connected sites) ●

Share and use e-learning resources and threads with schools

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Register for the VLN and sign-up for Enabling e-Learning newsletter and social media

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Join the community groups that matter to inquiries

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Share a story of what is happening - an interesting focus, a question that they need answering - via blog, discussion thread

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Make your schools’ stories or reflective summaries (ICT-PD) engaging and accessible

What might this look like? ●

Show you examples of how other schools have developed useful summaries

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Point you to the best resource or page

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One-to-one or group buddy session

Sites for self-starters ●

Enabling e-Learning media gallery: video stories aligned to the framework

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Enabling e-Learning group in the VLN

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‘Getting started’ videos in the VLN

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Engaging and useful reflective summaries from ICTPD

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Central North Literacy community in VLN: Set up by Jill to link teachers to elearning and literacy

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We can talk with you about best practice in online communities and blended professional learning

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the development and facilitation of online communities and dialogue

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why we use blended practices for professional learning

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Enabling e-Learning and the e-Learning Planning Framework

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blended ways of working with your schools’ inquiries

Sites for self-starters Online community development ●

Why build online communities? An ICT PD resource, which includes several resources.

Blended professional learning ●

Effective online facilitation - a useful guide (Flexible Learning)

Using the eLPF and Enabling e-Learning ●

Examples, resources and how to use the e-Learning Planning Framework

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VLN thread: Have you used the framework?

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VLN thread: Why and how have you used the framework?

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How might we develop the way we facilitate online?

These pages can be used with your online team facilitator to reflect on how you design and facilitate blended professional learning.

Set up - establish context ●

What are their schools’/facilitators’ needs or inquiry focus?

Define needs, based on schools’ needs ●

What are YOUR needs in 3 key areas (below)? Where are you at the moment?

How do you know?

1. How well are you designing / managing1 a blended professional learning approach?

In the context of school inquiries into e-capability, how effectively is the blend of approaches matched to schools’ needs? To what extent do you: ●

establish what schools’ needs are, in terms of blended ways of working?

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help schools to navigate and integrate Enabling e-Learning resources?

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extend their learning in a blended way, e.g. use social networks like the VLN to support their inquiry?

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Domain 3, PLD

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2. How well can you communicate (deliver2) in online spaces?

To what extent, with schools and in Enabling e-Learning, do you....

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Establish a personal and social connection through the way you talk/write?

(Steps 1 & 2)

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Facilitate critical (cognitive) reflection and inquiry, through the content and questions you ask, modeling effective pedagogy? (Steps 3-5)

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How effectively are you sustaining your teaching presence - or a mentoring presence - in the online space, through the structures and processes you have set up?3

Domain 3, PLD

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3. How culturally focused is your presence and professional learning online? ●

How effectively does the ‘blend’ address the learning needs, culture, priority needs and the inquiry?

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How confident are you to support your schools online?

Facilitate ●

Plan, design and facilitate appropriate support.

Evaluate - and plan next steps ●

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Review against the same 3 questions

(Garrison, 2003) and Salmon’s 5 stage model

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